Manufacture of mineral wool



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 1. H. KENNEDY & J. W. HIGGS.

MANUFACTURE OF MINERAL WOOL. I

No. 328,226. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

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H. KENNEDY & J. W. HIGG S. MANUFACTURE OF MINERAL WOOL.

No. 328,226. T PabentedOot. 13-, 1885.

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UNITED STATES l, l i l ll PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH KENNEDY AND JOHN W. HIGGS, OF SHARPSBURG, ASSIGNORS TO THE PITTSBURG MINERAL WOOL COMPANY, OF ETNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MANUFACTUREQF MINERAL woo| SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,226, dated October 13, 1885.

Application filed March 20, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HUGH KENNEDY, and JOHN W. HIGGS, of Sharpsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in. the Manufacture of Mineral Wool; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Mineral wool is usually made by blowing a [O jet or jets of steam or air through or against a small stream of molten slag, whereby the same is converted into fine vitrified fibers. The original and simplest method is to inject through the stream of molten slag a single jet of steam; but it is open to the objection that only a part of the slag is converted into fiber, while a large part is formed into hard granules or shot. Various devices have been adoptedfor separating the fiber from the shot. i For instance, it has been beaten and sifted; but this has a tendency to break up the fiber and partially destroy its usefulness. Another method is to expose the mixed wool and granules to a lateral jet of steam, which raises the lighter fibers and permits the granules to fall by their greater weight. This method is objectionable, because it does not effect a perfect separation, is very wasteful, and produces several inferior grades of wool.- ,1

By our improvement all,- or nearly all, of l the slag is converted into fiber without in creasing the power used, and there is not only a greater product, but it is very light and soft, uniform in quality, and very free from granules or shot.

We will now describe our invention, so that others skilled in the art may employ the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of apparatus which may be employed. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a' section on the line w w of Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively plan and side views illustrating the operation. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views of modifications, Fig. 7 being a section on w a: of Fig. 8, 8 a section on y y of Fig. 7, and 9 a section on 2 z of Fig. 8. Figs. 10 and 11 are respectively a longitudinal section and a perspective view of another modification.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts.

Serial No.150,611. (No model.)

Broadly stated, our invention consists in a method of converting a stream of molten slag into fiber or mineral wool by treating it with a jet or jets of steam or air, which surround it on all sides, and the preferable operation is to give the projected stream of wool a swirling or twisting mot-ion, and while the apparatus herein described is applicable to the purpose of our invention, the same result may be produced by other arrangements of tuyeres or jet-pipes which are capable of projecting jets of steam or air around and against a stream of slag.

Referring now to Fig. 1, a indicates a steampipe having a series of five jet-pipes provided, preferably, with flattened discharge ends or orifices. The central jet-pipe, 1, has its fiattcned orifice extending preferably in a horizontal direction. On either side, and at or about the same level, is a jet-pipe, 2, the flattened orifice of which extends preferably in a vertical direction, and above the jet-pipes 2 are two other jet-pipes, 3, the flattened orifices of which extend preferably in a horizontal direction, but are not on the same level, so that the streams or jets therefrom shall tend to pass each other at the point of meeting. The ends of the jet-pipesl and2 turn upward and the ends of the pipes 3 turn inward toward each other and extend some distance beyond the ends of the pipes 1 and 2, so that there is formed between the ends of the jet-pipes a space, 4, into which the stream of molten slag from the trough or pipe I) is caused to fall.

The operation of this device is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, where, it will be observed, the stream of molten slag from the trough b falls into the space 4 in front of the end of the central or main jet-pipe, 1, where, being caught by the jet of steam from said pipe, it isprojected upward and outward. The tendency of the jet 1 is to spread the stream of slag into a fan shape and to convert only the central portion into fiber, while the sides would be turned into granules or shot. This is prevented by the jets from the pipes 2, which, meetingthe spreading stream of slag projected by the pipe 1, force it inward and keep it within the range of action of the jet from the pipe 1, as well as themselves acting upon it to convert it into fiber.

The upward 1 j H i' ll 1 tendency of the stream of siag thds given to it by the pipes 1 and 2 brings it within the range of the jets from the pipes 3, which, as they do not exactly register, give it a swirling or twisting motion and hold it down within the range of action of the jets from the pipes 1 and 2. Thejets from the pipes 1, 2, and 3 all converge to a point, 8, some inches away from the ends of the pipes 3, where they practically unite into a single stream, and from that point the stream of molten slag spreads outward into a conical shape and enters the end of the receiving-conduit 0. During the passage of the slag from the point 4 to the centering-point 8 of the jets it is thoroughly converted into fiber, so that there are so few granules formed that the entire product of the blow is salable as No. 1 W001.

In Figs. 6, 7, S, and 9 we show a modified construction, which consists in a hollow casting, (1, to which the steam is supplied by a pipe, (1, and which is provided with a central opening, d", and a series of converging jetopenings of slots, 5, 6, and 7, extending through the sides around the central opening, (1 (V hen applied for use, the casting d is placed in an incline position, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, under the slag-trough I). A stream of slag then falls through the opening (1 where it encounters the jet of steam from the slot 5, which in this instance answers to the jet-pipe 1 of the first construction. The stream projected by the jet is treated on the other three sides by the jets from the slots 6 and 7. The angles of inclination of the slots are diflerent; but they are caused to converge to a point, 8, as in the first construction. By

giving a slight lateral slant to either of the,

two opposite jets a swirling motion can be given to the slag.

In Figs. 10 and 11 the construction consists of a hollow tubular casting,c, provided with a central opening, 6, through which the stream of molten slag passes, a steam-pipe, c", which supplies steam, and an inclined jet-opening, e, at the other end, which gives to the jet of steam a conical shape.

In allthe constructions named the stream of molten slag is enveloped on all sides by jets of steam or air, which cause it to be thoroughly treated and converted into mineral wool. We prefer the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 5, as we have had it in practical use for some time, and it has been proven to be a thorough and efficient means of carrying our invention into practice.

The product of our invention is a. remarkably fine, soft, light, flexible fiber, and, as before stated, the process is attended with little or no waste, and consequently yields an increased product.

NVe prefer to use the construction of apparatus which gives a swirling motion to the projected stream of slag, for the reason that the thorough treatment of the slag is thereby insured and the fiber produced will be lighter and better.

\Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method herein described of making mineral wool, which consists in treating a stream of molten slag to an encircling jet or jets of steam or air, substantially as and for the purposes described.

2. The method herein described of making mineral wool, which consists in treating a stream of molten slag to encircling jets of steam or air, whereby the projected stream is given a twisting or swirling motion, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 16th day of March, A. D. 1885.

HUGH KENNEDY. JOHN W. HIGGS.

\Vitnesses:

J. J. HILL, GEORGE \(VANNER. 

